OnTrainingLanguageSenseAmongMiddleSchoolStudents.doc

On Training Language Sense Among Middle School StudentsLiaoLiangjuanIntroductionAt present, with the continual reform of language teaching and learning method, a new model of English language teaching named “Teaching of Language Sense” appeared in our country. Language Sense is not a strange topic in the field of education.“Language Sense” was called “Intuition” by the famous linguist Krashen at the very beginning. Later, some scholars called it “Language Feel” or “Intuitive Competence”. Chomskys Innateness hypothesis shows the essence of language sense, but he didnt give us the parlance. At last, Prof. Tang Fuhua called it “Language Sense” in his book “On Language Sense Training In The Practice”, and it becomes the recognized parlance gradually.Language Sense means the sense of language. It contains peoples sense of speech sound, sense of semantic, the different mood for the language and the factors of culture and perception of language convention. According to the different activities, there are input language sense and output language sense. In practice, language sense has the function of comprehension, emotion, imagination and communication. Language sense is an abstract sense. We dont know where it is but we can study that how it could be obtained. For language learners, especially for the language learners at the beginning stage, they can get a lot of language materials and make the language come to regularization in mind through the training of language sense in a language environment and success in mastering the language at last.According to the different situations, this thesis brings forward a lot different ways of students language sense training in class and after class. In class, the English teacher should play his/her role to the most efficiency. After class, the initiative of students should be in exertion.1 The classification and function of language sense1.1 Classification Language sense is the focus of the language competence. The purpose of Middle School English teaching is to improve students four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Generally speaking, these four skills cant be separated. They are the representation of ones language competence.receptive skillproductive skillOral MediumlisteningspeakingWritten MediumreadingwritingAmong them, listening and reading are receptive skills while speaking and writing are productive skills. According to them, language sense contains input language sense and output language sense. Its obvious that input language sense comes from language learners practice of listening and reading while output language sense comes from the practice of speaking and writing.1.2 Functions From the table below, we can see different activities may have different functions. Input language senseComprehensive functionImaginative functionEmotive functionOutput language senseCommunicative function Comprehensive function means the function of catching the right meanings (exterior meaning and connotative meaning) of the language objects in a short time. Imaginative function means the function of imaging the scene when listening or reading to the material, so that the material will become vivid. Emotive function shows in listening or reading, one may get a certain intense feeling of beauty or frightfulness, love or abomination, and so on.Communicative function is the function of output language sense, but it also the function of language. In linguistics, it is called the interpersonal function. By far its it he most important sociological use of language by which people establish and maintain their status in a society.2 Training students language sense 2.1 In classThe 45 minutes in class is very precious and should be cherished. Its obvious that the classroom teaching is one of the most important ways that the students learn English.2.1.1 Creating a language environment in classThe obvious difference between native language learning and foreign language learning is the environment. A child can soon learn his mother language well. He has heard a lot before he can say and walk. Then after he is able to walk and say, he has a chance of listening to more. Before he goes to school, he has already been a good listener and speaker. We can say that he has got the basic sense of language before his language learning. But for a foreign language, students can hardly have a chance to meet it. In classroom teaching, the affection of the teacher is reflected by establishing a good example. So the teacher should speak English in English teaching to make a language environment to students. 3.1.2 Good pronunciations When the English teacher speaks English in language teaching, he/she should pay attention to the pronunciations. Pronunciation includes stress, strong form, weak form, intonation, incomplete plosive consonant, affricate consonant, syllable and so on. In the example below, different intonations for “sorry” indicate different meanings. A neutral tone would indicate a normal apology. However, a sharp falling tone or rising tone would mean the opposite. A: Would you please turn down the radio a little bit?B: Sorry. (No, I dont want to.)OrB: Sorry. (What did you say?)Stress and intonation are as important as the sound themselves, so they should be taught from the very beginning. Experiments have demonstrated that often when a native speaker mishears something, it is because the foreigner has put the stress on the wrong place, not because he or she has mispronounced the sounds of the words. The English teacher can use the native English tape in language teaching and ask students to learn the correct pronunciations. Oral reading after a record or a teacher is a good way at the beginning of the students English learning. And when the teacher teaches pronunciations to students, he/she should focus on the students ability to identify and produce English sound. 2.1.3 Proper ways to expressIt was said to the fore that the teacher should pay attention to the pronunciations in class, then how to make their words smooth, natural and understandable to students and make the students convey the meaning intended by them? The teacher should choose the proper ways to express in class. According to the students level and practical situation, body language is required in order to make teachers instruction clear. For example, when a teacher gives an instruction: “You two, please come to the blackboard.” The students can easily understand if the teacher looks at or points to some students. Then, the teacher points to the blackboard. The other simple dictions in class, such as “Please put up your hand.” “Please listen to me carefully.” “Please look at the blackboard.” “Please say it together.” and so on, can also be taught in this way. Students will understand the teachers instructions even if they havent learnt the words in these dictions. Its good to train students language sense in listening and guessing.2.1.4 Communication The aim of language is to communicate. Even the time in class is limited, the English teacher should pay attention to the communication with students. It would create a pleasant, relaxed, and dynamic classroom to train students language sense in speaking. Controlled by the teacherThe teacher can control the practice wholly or partly in different situation.Take a dialogue between a teacher and a student for example:T: Hello!S: Hello!T: May I ask you some questions?S :OK.T: How many people are there in your family?S: There are five.T: What do your parents do?S: My father works in a company and my mother is a teacher.T: Have you got brothers?S: Yes, I have a brother.T: We can see the teacher can let the dialogue go on as far as possible if he/she wants to get much information about this students family. The teacher can choose the questions according to the text including the dictions that required to be consolidated. Controlled by the studentsAfter being given the clearest instructions by the teacher, students can also control the practice freely. They can do pair work or group work in class.Pair work is where the students work in pairs. They would do certain oral practice. For example,A: Hello, I dont believe weve met. Im Sherry.B: Hi, Im Tom. Nice to meet you.A: Im conducting a survey for our school newspaper. Could you tell me, do you like to swim?B: Yes, I do. In fact, I usually go swimming once or twice a week.A: Great! Would you mind signing your name for me please?B: Of course not, there you are.A: Thanks a lot. See you around.B: See you.Group work is where the students in small group. Each group has 3 to 4 or 5 students, depending on the activities. The teacher can join each group for a while, but only as a participant not as a leader or inspector.2.1.5 Interesting teaching and learning In English and teaching and learning, the mastery of vocabulary is really a dull task. Then how to make it interesting? The teacher can use pictures or other vivid tools in English teaching with different language teaching skills. Words studyIn order to arouse students interest and curiosity, English teachers can draw pictures or use real objects to show the meanings when they present new words to students. Meanwhile, teachers can act to show the meanings. Such as brushing teeth, playing ping-pong and so on. Synonyms or antonyms can also be used to explain the meanings. For example, choose and select; go on and continue; full and empty; thin and thick. They can also use the lexical sets. For example: cook: fry, boil, bake, grill. In addition, English teachers can translate and exemplify, especially with technical words or words of abstract meanings, or use word formation rules and common affixes to present and explain vocabulary. In words study, English-English explanations are the best. And an English-English dictionary is an important aid for students. Because it can let the language learners form the habit of thinking in English and make them success in training their language sense. Sentences learning Pictures can also be used to set the scene for students talking. Students should be encouraged to use learned vocabulary in talking about pictures. Making sentences can help to consolidate the students grasp of vocabulary and structure, and complement other skills. Before this practice, the teacher should teach students the five basic sentence drills. Then ask them to choose some typical sentences to make after these models. And ask them to practise expressions in the same meaning with different patterns. By trying to use words or expressions correctly and appropriately, students get a deeper understanding of the meaning and a better use of language. It does good to train students language sense. 2.2 After classAfter class, the teacher is no longer the most important role. The initiative of students should be in exertion.2.2.1 Enormous reading There are two English materials of the same difficulty. One explains something about the Spring Festival of China; the other is about the Thanks-giving Day of the western countries. The former is easy to understand but the latter is more difficult for the students. Why? It is obvious that the students know little about the latter while familiar with the former. If the students lack the language cultural background knowledge, they will feel puzzled in understanding.Here are other two examples:1) A: Where are you from?B: Ill ask her. (Alaska)A: Why do you ask her?2) A: Where are you from?B: How are you? (Hawaii)A: In the examples above, we can see A may think B has given an irrelevant answer. But if A knew something about geographical knowledge of the USA, and the name of two states of USA-Alaska and Hawaii, he would not regard “Alaska” as “Ill ask her.” Or “Hawaii” as “How are you?”From above, the students should be asked to master rich language material and acquaintance of western culture by enormous reading. Acquisition of knowledge mainly depends on the reading materials. Literal works is the most rich material through which students can know something about peoples psychology, cultural characters, customs and habits, etc. Students can also read other kind of English material about geography, history, culture, and so on after class. The selected reading material should be accessible to the students. For example, the teacher can select a material on explaining something about Thanks-giving Day of the western countries to the students and ask them to read this material after class and make English cards with the words of greeting on Thanks-giving Day.In addition, the teacher can also lay emphasize on factuality of language and adopt some material approaching to daily life, such as magazines, newspapers and report etc. Take the newspapers for example, students in Middle School can read the “21st Century”. This material is from real life and it helps students to be well acquainted with Standard English, to speak English appropriate to the occasion, to understand western way of life and customs etc.Through enormous reading, students can widen their knowledge and make their understanding of culture ripe and complete, and obtain the language sense gradually.2.2.2 Singing English songsIn English songs, there are a lot beautiful sentences and liaisons. Its a good way to improve students oral English and train their language sense in singing. There are a lot of good songs that fit for the students, such as “Jingle bells” “We will show Merry Christmas” “Happy New Year” and so on. These songs are easy to learn and easy to understand. To teach English songs to students after class can put students in a happy mood and arouse the students interest in English.Before class begins, the teacher can let the students sing a short English song together to concentrate their attention into class and to be ready for the new lesson. It will make the new lesson more effective. After the students learned the English songs, music can certainly enrich their lives. They can join the English Party and many other English activities.2.2.3 Keep diary in EnglishWe know that English teachers usually ask students to write something in class. But writing in class is seen as “writing as learning”. Its necessary writing in class, but in order to train students language sense, it seems not so good. In class, when given a topic, the students make up things to write about, because their personal experiences cannot contribute to the given topic. The teacher gives a topic or a selection of topics, a set of requirements, and time limit. If writing tasks lack authenticity, they do not motivate students. But if the students were asked to write English diaries after class, their writing would be for self-creation which reflect the students inner thoughts or feelings. In the first place, the teacher should make students want to write and then teach them how to write. As the saying goes, “Interest is the best teacher.” In order to make it more effective, teachers should guide the students through the process of writing. Either writing for a specific recipient or engaging in an act of creative writing where their work is intended to be read by other people, students can be motivated by authentic writing tasks that have some communicative elements.If the students keep diaries in English, instead of waiting for the teachers explain, they can try to find the patterns and the rules in English by themselves. They dont wait for a chance to use the language; they look for such a chance. According the scene in daily life, students write down their ideas in the English diary. In this way, the students learn to think in the language rather than to learn the meaning of every word. Gradually, they train their language sense in keeping thinking and writing. 2.2.4 English Corner Joining in English Corner is a common activity of English learners. In Middle School, there can be different activities for the different members. Activities with English teachersStudents have communication with teacher in class, but the teacher often pays attention on his/ her own teaching procedures and the time in class is limited. So they are still lacking in communication. After class, they can get a chance to discuss their English learning with the teacher. The teacher should know the different characters of the students and do his/her best to solve the problems in students English learning. Teachers and students can exchange views and replenish each other. In the communication with students, it is important that the teacher should not forget to encourage students to speak English. Activities with other studentsEven though students learn English at the same stage, they still have got different ability in English learning. Some students are good at English and often get high marks in English exams. These students set good examples to other students. Their communication seems more interesting than their communication with the teacher, because the students are almost in the same age and have got a lot in common, such as their thinking, their hobbies and so on. Thus, the students may have more topics to talk about with each other. When students speak English in English Corner, they may ask other students to correct them when they make a mistake and learn from mistake together. Its really a good way to let students get rid of shyness and improve their oral English with classmates. At this moment, they do not depend on the book or the teacher, but discover their own way to learn the language. Students and foreigners togetherTalking with the native English speaker is really a direct way to communicate for a language learner. S